Heat-retaining system for water-cooled gas engines



A. ANTONA 1,770,600

HEAT RETAINING SYSTEM FOR WATER COOLED GAS ENGINES Filed Oct. 12, 1929 3 Sheets-Shaet l v INVENTOR.

f, @fiW/8 3 ATTORNEY JuilylS, 1930.

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A. ANTONA HEAT RETAINING SYSTEM FOR .WATER GOOLED GAS ENGINES Filed Oct. 12, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNE y 0- A. ANTONA 1,770,600

HEAT RETAINING SYSTEM FOR WATER COOLED GAS ENGINES Filed Oct. 12, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ""mn n m mlll I N VEN TOR.

Patented July 15, 1930 rice PAT

ANGELO, ANTONA, or oiinvnnnn-n, onro' HEAT-RETAINING SYSTEM FGR wATnn-oooLEn Gas ENGINES Application filed October 12, 1929. Serial No. 399,309.

This invention, as indicated relates to a heat retaining system for water cooled. gas engines. More particularly it comprises the means for withdrawing the cooling fluid 5 from the radiator into an insulated tank whereby theheat may be-reta'ined for a pro-- longed period Without danger of the fluid freezing and injuring the engine or radiator. It has heretofore been proposed to utilize a 1-8 reservoir into which. the coolingfiuid of a gas engine was withdrawn but such devices have involved complicated mechanism and have not. been free from possible injury through hand-ling by unskilled persons. The present apparatus provides a simplified systemof withdrawing the cooling fluid from the radiator and water passageways within the engine block and retaining the same in a reservoir suitably insulated until the fluid is again'requi-red for the operation of the engine.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for conserving the heat in the cooling fluid of a gas engine by withdrawing'the same from the water circulation system when the gas engine is not in operation, and having such fluid always available for instant return to the water circulation system when it is desired to operate such gas engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide alreservoir having a single control valve which will work elfectively in one position.

to withdraw the fluid from the engine and in another position to restore the fluid to the usual path of circulation in the engine, and in a neutral position, to provide an air vent for the radiator. Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in theclaims; the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the 0 principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Y Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the valve used in connection with the water circulatinglsystem of the gas engine and the. storage reservoir for the cooling system; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section view taken along the line 22 shown in F ig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a series of transverse sectional views taken along the line 3 -8 shownin Fig. 1 and illustrating three diiierent positions of the valve ports with reference to the reservoir water supply pipe; Fig. s shows a series of transverse sectional views taken along the line 4-4l shown in Fig. 1, illustrating different positions of the valve ports in relationto the air supply pipe to the radiator, and theventing channels; Fig. 5 shows a series of transverse sectional views taken along the line 5-5 shown in Fig. 1, illustrating different positions of the venting channels with reference to the air relief port; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation partly in section showing the heat-retaining systemfin its relation to the radiator and engine block of a gas engine.

'As will clearly appear from the drawing, the device comprises a reservoir 1 preferably of sufiicient size to receive the full supply of cooling fluid. The reservoir may be suitably insulated and provided with a depending pipe 2 supported within the same in a position approximately centrally of the upper side (see Fig. 6) and having secured thereto a valve body 3 (see Figs. 1 and 2) comprising a tapered'casing formed at its narrow end with a screw-threaded terminal 5 to which is adapted to be applied a small air pressure pump 6. Within the interior tapered portion of the casing, a valve plug is provided, said plug having a cylindrical eX- tension Sat its larger end terminating in a' polygonal extension 9 adapted to be engaged by a wrench or other suitable nnplement for the actuation of thevalve. -A flanged closure disc 11 is engaged. over the cylindrical portion of the valve and is suitably secured by screw-threading or other means, to a suitably recessed portion 12 of the casing. The valve plug is provided with a longitudinal passage- 13 extending approximately one-half the distance toward the center thereof along the axial line from its narrow end and is formed with a circumferential groove 14 about its narrow end approximately one-half the distance of said passageway, said circumferential groove communicating with a lateral port 15 through the valve casing to the outside atmos here: Said groove is rovided with sha ow extensions 16, 17, serving as air venting channels extending toward the central portion of the plug and of a length suflicicnt to connect said circumferential groove with a passa eway 18, formed through the supporting oss for the casing and venting into the reservoir, or to a passageway 19 connecting with the upper portion of the radiator as will hereinafter be described.

Said supporting boss is also provided with a larger passageway 21 within which the upper end of the water supply pipe 2 for the is screw-threadedly engaged, said pipe extending vertically downward within the reservoir to within a short distance of the bottom thereof. The passageway 19 connectswith a tube or hose 21 leading to the upper part of the radiator 22. It may comprise a hose engaged with the lower end of the water overflow pipe provided in automobile radiators or may be a pipe substituted for such overflow pipe and air vent.

In the plane of the water supply pipe of the reservoir, a lateral port 23 is provided on the valve casing, said port being of larger size than the passageways 18 and 19 provided for the air control system. Said port 23 is connected by a conduit 24 of large size with the bottom of the radiator. It may be a separate connection, or comprise merely a hose connection with the usual drain cock 25 of the radiator.

a As is clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the valve lug may be turned to three positions,- to the eft, or to the position marked A in each figure to force water to the radiator and cooling system from the reservoir,to the right, or to the position marked B, to force water from the radiator and cooling system to the reservoir, and to the neutral position marked C, in which the radiator will be vented to the air in the usual way by means of a pipe entering above the water level.

It is believed that the operation of the device will be readily understood from the descriptiou of its construction. When the valve plug is turned to the left, the water supply pipe 2 in the reservoir is connected through the three-way passage 26 with the pipe conmeeting with the lower part of the radlator, as shown at A in Fig. 3. At the same time the passageway 18 into the reservoir will be connected with the passageway 13 leading to the air pump 6 through the passage 27 centrally of the valve plug, as shown at A in Fig. 4, and the venting channel 16 will connect the 11 per portion of the radiator to the outside air, through the circumferential groove 14 and the port 15, as shown at A, Figs. 4 and 5. Thus as the air pump is operated the liquid within the reservoir will be forced into the cooling system. The valve plug will then be turned to neutral position (see Figs 3, 4, 5) wherein it will vent the radiator through the upper tube 19 and the venting channel 17, circumferential groove 14 and port 15.

When it is desired to withdraw the liquid supply from the cooling system, the valve is turned to the right. The pipe 24 leading from the bottom of the radiator will then be connected with the water pipe 20f the reservoir, as shown at B, Fig. 3, and the pump will be connected with the air passage 19 to the top of the radiator as shown at B in Fig. 4, with the air in the top of the reservoir vented to the atmosphere through the tube 18 and the venting channels 16, 14, and port 15.

The apparatus described comprises a minimum number of parts, and if desired, may be connected with a standard automobile without removing the present connections by merely securing a hose to the usual drain cock and securing another hose to the overflow y this simple expedient it will be unnecessary to use alcohol or other anti-freeze solution as the heat retaining qualities of the insulated reservoir will prevent the water freezing for several days and the water can be pumped back and forth as required with a minimum of effort; Of course where a car is to be stored in an unheated garage for a long period, the water should be drained from the reservoir. However, the replacement of the reservoir is obviously less expensive than the engine block or the radiator. This device is of much importance in places where it is difficult to obtain anti-freeze solutions and also makes it unnecessary to constantly check the specific gravity of such solutions.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being madeas regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis tinctly claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid cooling system for a gas engine, a reservoir of asize to receive substantially all the liquid of said system, conduitsconnectingsaid reservoir and cooling system, and single air pressure control means for forcingsaid liquid selectively into said reservoir or into said cooling system, and simultaneously venting the element into which the liquid is being forced.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid cooling system for a gas engine, a reservoir of a size to receive substantially all the liquid of said system. a unitary liquid and air control valve, conduits connecting said valve with said cooling system and said reservoir, air pressure means connected with said valve, said valve being provided with a plurality of passages which in one position will vent the cooling system to the air, in another position will render the cooling system airtight, vent the reservoir, and apply air pressure to the liquid in the cooling system, forcing it into the reservoir, and in another position will render the reservoir air-tight, vent the cooling system, and apply air pressure to the liquid in the reservoir, forcing it into the cooling system.

3. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a water cooling system for a gas engine, a reservoir disposed adjacent thereto, a control valve positioned above said reservoir, a pipe extending from said control valve downwardly through said reservoir to a point adjacent the bottom thereot, a pair of conduits connected respectively to the bottom and top of said water cooling system and at two spaced points on.

sociated with said control valve, an air relief passageway-associated with said control valve and a rotatable valve member adapted to control the direction of the fluid passing through said control valve into and out of said reservoir.

4. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a water cooling system for a gas engine, a reservoir disposed adjacent thereto, a control valve positioned above said reservoir, a pipe extending from said control valve downwardly through said reservoir to a point adjacent the bottom thereof, a pair of conduits connected respectively to the bottom and top of said water cooling system and at two spaced points on said control valve, an air pressure device associated with said control valve, an air relief passageway associated with said control valve and a rotatable valve member adapted to control the direction of the air and liquid passing through said control valve intoand out of said reservoir, and simultaneously to control the venting of said reservoir or cooling system.

5. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a water cooling system for a gas engine, a reservoir disposed adjacent thereto, a control valve positioned above said reservoir, a pipe extending from said control valve downwardly through said reservoir to a point adjacent the bottom thereof, a pair of conduits connected respectively to the bottom and top of said water cooling system and at two spaced points on said control valve, an air pressure device associated with said control valve, an air relief passageway associated with said control valve and a rotatable valve member adapted to selectively and simultaneously control the venting of above said reservoir, said valve having a water passage, an airpassage, and a venting passage therethrough, apipe extending from the water passage of said control valve downwardly through said reservoirto a point adjacent the bottom thereof, a water conduit' connected to said valve and to the bottom of said water cooling system, air conduits connectedto said valve and extending to said reservoir and to the upper part of said coolign system, respectively, an air pressure device associated with said control valve, and

an air relief passageway associated with said' air conduits and said venting passage of said valve.

V ANGELO ,ANTONA.

Signed by me this'6th day of September, 

